Master of Horror Mick Garris
“It was The Stand. I was 16 years old. It was the peak of the Stephen King miniseries era, and it was appointment television. My whole family watched it on
Category: Books
As the name suggests, this is where you’ll find everything I’ve written about books, publishing, authors, book stores and more. I’ve had the pleasure of talking to some renowned novelists and thinkers including Joe Hill, Jared Diamond, David Brin, Naomi Wolf, Kim Stanley Robinson and Matthew Reilly.
But it’s also been a way of exploring some big ideas facing technology, society and the economy, whether it’s the lack of contact from interstellar civilisations, the role of pornography not just in technology but human communication overall or how graphic design is changing in the web age.
I’ve also turned the spotlight back on the book industry itself, looking at everything from the challenge of keeping boys interested in reading to the latest innovations in distribution to fiction sales’ dirty little secret about the genre that keeps it afloat.
In An Edit Bay Far, Far Away: Star Wars Editor Paul Hirsch On His New Book And Lucas’ Legacy
When thinking of Star Wars, we invariably think of a single name: George Lucas. And while Lucas is a natural-born world builder, many will tell you the influence that gave
Star Wars Editor Paul Hirsch Shares Tales From the Cutting Room in His New Book
Filmgoers don’t know the name Paul Hirsch nearly as well as those of Brian De Palma, George Lucas or John Hughes, but after a five-decade career as a film editor,
Continue readingStar Wars Editor Paul Hirsch Shares Tales From the Cutting Room in His New Book
Perfect Motion
More than just letting us stand on hind legs and move around the environment, the book draws on various neuroscientific principles to argue that walking is inextricably linked to several of aspects of the human condition that have made us who we are, like creativity. … Continue readingPerfect Motion
Never Enough
Disarmingly open about her own history of addiction, Never Enough is full of stories about Grisel’s decade or addiction, risky behaviour and wasted years. Tales of her first drink at 13, or feeling nothing at a beloved grandfather’s funeral because she was hopped up on Quaaludes are heart-wrenching. … Continue readingNever Enough
Jared Diamond Writes About Upheaval, But is ‘Cautiously Optimistic’
I’ve gotten huge amounts of support from academics. There’s a small fringe of academics who dislike things I write and who are personally jealous that someone whose training was in gall-bladder physiology comes and writes about history in Australia. But if you’re going to be an author writing for the public you’ve got to develop a thick skin. … Continue readingJared Diamond Writes About Upheaval, But is ‘Cautiously Optimistic’
Ain’t No Respect
The Handmaid’s Tale author Margaret Atwood has been the target of many brickbats in her time thanks to never fully accepting the term ‘science fiction’ about her work. Some would say the criticism is deserved – particularly after the author herself told the BBC science fiction was about ‘talking squids in outer space’. … Continue readingAin’t No Respect
The Breakthrough
You might take any research related to cancer that uses superlatives (Breakthrough! Revolution!) with a huge pinch of salt. We’ve seen evening news soundbites cherry picking very inexact research for maximum impact for decades, all while just as many friends, colleagues and family members die of cancer as ever. … Continue readingThe Breakthrough
Drew talks to Nick de Semlyen about 80s movies and Wild and Crazy Guys!
The features editor of the world’s biggest magazine sits down for a chat You’d think being Features Editor of the world’s most widely read movie magazine would satisfy any desire
Continue readingDrew talks to Nick de Semlyen about 80s movies and Wild and Crazy Guys!
Who’s (Still) Afraid of Naomi Wolf?
I’ve always been fascinated by cultural history, by the idea that we don’t have to think the way we’re told and we can look back to see what led us to make those assumptions or conventional wisdom. … Continue readingWho’s (Still) Afraid of Naomi Wolf?